


Facsimile

by grayorca, YearwalktheWorld



Series: Triverse [7]
Category: Castle Rock (TV), Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Drama, Family, Fluff, Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-10
Updated: 2019-01-10
Packaged: 2019-10-07 20:19:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17372624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grayorca/pseuds/grayorca, https://archiveofourown.org/users/YearwalktheWorld/pseuds/YearwalktheWorld
Summary: AU/Crossover. The Detroit Zoo ordered five, and one is the wrong color.Wait, what?





	Facsimile

**Author's Note:**

> Spinoff of _Trifecta_ , takes place between chapters 5 and 6. Fanmade elements abound.
> 
> In memory of the RL [Chimo](http://orcahome.de/chimo.htm).
> 
> Don't buy a ticket.

The Detroit Zoo first opened in 1883. It had gone through countless iterations since, and remained one of Michigan’s most popular attractions as of 2038. Though the zookeeping industry had hit a slump in the early 2000s, with the advent of android technology, and its versatility enabling the recreation of synthetic fauna, it rebounded within five years. Tourism in the city was back to where it should be. ****  
** **

Including the construction of a new aquatic center to revitalize interest, the premier species on display was a representation of _Orcinus orca_. Five such full-size recreations called the network of five pools home. ****  
** **

One of them, as it turned out, was not like the others. ****  
** **

And that was usually the first indicator some kind of deviancy was setting in. ****  
** **

Or so the zoo officials thought. Otherwise they would haven’t had no reason to close their most profitable exhibit off and invite the 7th’s resident RK800 prototypes for a low-key examination. ****  
** **

It stayed low-key until Connor fell in, anyway. ****  
** **

——- ****  
** **

“It’s colored like someone plucked it out of the water and rolled it in volcanic ash.” ****  
** **

Left to their own devices, Dennis’ remark was anything save politically correct. He stood a safe distance from the viewing window, almost pressed against the decorative hedges paralleling the acrylic glass. While he didn’t seem to resent just where they now found themselves, he hadn’t yet gotten closer, either. ****  
** **

Why? It’s not like they could get splashed, where they currently stood now. The walkway awnings above their heads provided ample cover. ****  
** **

Nick, by contrast, was almost pressed up near the glass, as close as he could get without physically being in the water with the android orca, eyes wide as he watched. “It's beautiful, Dennis.”  ****  
** **

Watching with such as rapt attention, the artificial cetacean pressed its nose (rostrum, as biologists once called it) against the window, pushing off to float backwards and then duck down for another look. ****  
** **

Connor, standing in the space between his two partners, was neither so enraptured. “It’s the wrong color for its species.” ****  
** **

One hand going up to press against the glass, Nick continued to peer at it with wonderment. “But it's wonderful, it doesn't have to be the right color. It's just unique.”  ****  
** **

“Unique isn’t what the zoo wants, unfortunately,” Dennis pointed out. “These were expensive assets for them to obtain. If this one has already gone faulty, what’s to stop the others from following suit?” ****  
** **

The orca in question didn’t seem concerned with its pigment malfunction. Repositioning itself, its orb-like eye focused on the splayed hand. Undoubtedly its own systems were detecting the cluster of sensors arrayed there, just out of touching range. ****  
** **

Bubbles streaming from its head, the cyberceta squeaked. ****  
** **

Letting out a gasp, and then some laughter, Nick placed his other hand on the glass as well, grinning at the orca as it did so. Dennis's previous words seemed to be forgotten in favor of the giant android in front of him. “Look! Did you hear that, it spoke!”  ****  
** **

The high-pitched words seemed to incite it. Flippers flicking, it squeaked several times over, from low pitches to high, as if were trying to emulate the syllables. ****  
** **

Arms crossed, Dennis stayed planted where he was - ten feet, four inches away, to be exact. “Well, at least it _sounds_ like a whale.” ****  
** **

“Hi,” Nick cooed, as if it could hear him and respond back in its own way. “Hi! It's nice to see you. Hello!”  ****  
** **

Leaning on the glass again, the orca’s off-color skin rippled. The pressure spot momentarily darkened to the oil-black hue it was meant to convey. Dragging its chin along the window, it’s squeaks veered into a high, albeit muffled whistle. ****  
** **

Black blotches popped up along its streamlined face only to fade away. The circular LED behind and beside its right eye blinked from blue to yellow and back. ****  
** **

“It’s interactive program seems intact, otherwise,” Connor remarked. “Other than it simply can’t maintain its intended coloration.” ****  
** **

“That's okay, right?” Nick asked, tearing his eyes off of the orca to give Connor a worried look - because looking worried was one of his strengths. “It's not its fault, it hasn't done anything wrong.”  ****  
** **

Certainly not compared to other deviants they had encountered, no. ****  
** **

“If it were okay, the zoo’s board wouldn’t have asked us to investigate.” Connor’s explanation paused as their ‘suspect’ in question emitted another water-muffled whistle, glancing between them, as if it, too, wanted to know what the problem was. “These models are hardly better than prototypes. Perhaps they weren’t tested thoroughly enough in a naturally-sunlit environment.” ****  
** **

Ultraviolet rays were a factor. It was once a problem for real-life cetaceans. Their tanks were never made deep enough to escape the glare of the sun, particularly in tropical regions like Florida or California. ****  
** **

Could an android _be_ sunburned? Or develop a propensity for it? ****  
** **

“Oh, no!” Nick gasped, going back to staring at the orca with worried, wide eyes. “What if it’s hurt? Oh no, I hope you're okay, buddy. You're gonna be okay, don't worry.”  ****  
** **

Because he had never been very skilled at containing his reactions. ****  
** **

“They could simply switch it off and haul it out with a crane if it’s so - mucking up their perfect exhibit,” Dennis grumbled, barely amending a curse before it fully formed. “ _Why_ they think this has any link to our deviancy investigation, I have no clue.” ****  
** **

That wasn’t necessarily true. The biggest clue they had was looking them in the face. It was simply a matter of seeing what else was abnormal about it, besides skin tone. ****  
** **

Seconding his exasperation, intentionally or not, the synthetic orca blew another stream of bubbles (air it didn’t need, but stowed all the same to maintain an illusion) and stuck out its tongue. ****  
** **

The sight made its supposed-plight seem at once so much more trivial and far less concerning than the humans were making it out to be. ****  
** **

What was the problem, indeed? Not as though the orca had digits with which to hold a gun. ****  
** **

“Aww,” Nick sighed at the sight, one finger drawing circles on the glass as it did so, giving it another wide smile. As always, it was likely he wouldn't be a great help to this investigation - insofar as procedure went. “It deserves to live, Dennis. We have to help it.”  ****  
** **

Just past the viewing area window was a palmscan-locked door, complete with the words _Authorized personnel only_. ****  
** **

For the time being, they counted as such. ****  
** **

——- ****  
** **

The zoo’s educational personnel were a rough mix of human and android. The former played the part of demonstrator/handler of the animals the latter described in detail to groups of paying visitors. In the case of the aquatic center, perhaps the roles would have been better off reversed. Not that androids couldn’t survive immersion in water, they could, but it would have effectively kept the humans out of any preconceived harm’s way if a cyberceta went haywire. ****  
** **

Or was it a dominance-demonstration thing? The humans always seemed inclined to expose themselves to unnecessary risks. ****  
** **

Either way, Dennis wasn’t humoring them with any discussion. He stood with his back to the decorative rock wall, tablet held in white/blue-knuckled hands, as far from the water’s edge as he could be without actually leaving the scene. ****  
** **

In hindsight, he had precisely the right idea. ****  
** **

At first, nothing seemed amiss. The ‘malfunctioning’ cetacean swam right up to the platform, summoned by the press of a button by the door. Effectively ringing a bell to command its attention - check. ****  
** **

The issues only seemed to multiply from there. ****  
** **

Right away, it seemed more interested in playing, up close, than responding to its roster of pre programmed cues. ****  
** **

For instance, as it rolled over, logging parallel beside the platform - fins in the air - and refused to right itself, they encountered their first anomaly. ****  
** **

“What the fuck is it doing now?” Dennis grumbled, after at least two minutes of inactivity. “Playing dead?” ****  
** **

Creeping as close as he dared, Nick frowned with worry for the orca, one hand out as if he wanted to touch it - which he probably did. “Hello? …Is it okay?”  ****  
** **

As if it could respond back to him, if it wanted to.  ****  
** **

Silence and stillness answered him. ****  
** **

Dennis glared over the raised edge of the tablet, half-holding it as a shield. “Okay. This is… odd. The board didn’t say anything about a refusal to engage.” ****  
** **

Still situated between them, Connor didn’t look inclined to believe one reason or the other. To him, it almost looked like when Sumo rolled over, whining for a belly rub. ****  
** **

But the phrase “going belly up” was typically associated with fish going dead. ****  
** **

Was it a trap, an invitation, or another sign of growing instability? ****  
** **

“Don’t touch it, Nick.” ****  
** **

His hand stopped approaching, but didn't start reeling back, just stayed frozen where it was. “But… what if it's hurt? And needs help?”  ****  
** **

Cautiously, Dennis scrolled through the files they had been allocated. A moment later, he came up with a solution: “Try slapping the water. Says here it’s been used as an orientation cue before.” ****  
** **

The cetacean equivalent of “eyes front” - one of the most basic handling signals there was. ****  
** **

Instead of following through, Nick bit his lip and backed away from the water, shaking his head. “That could scare it, though, I don't wanna startle it, Dennis.”  ****  
** **

Taking a few more steps back till he was in line with him, Nick shrugged, watching the still-motionless orca with concern. Not that it required air, but the upside-down planking wasn’t a pose it was supposed to keep this long. ****  
** **

“Maybe we should just… wait?”  ****  
** **

“We can’t spend all _day_ on this,” Dennis snapped, a great deal less sympathetic. “Connor, please. If it doesn’t work, we can always suggest they simply unlist it from their upcoming performances.” ****  
** **

“But what will they do after that?” Nick asked, turning to look at Dennis. “What if they… don't want it anymore?”  ****  
** **

_What happens with most deviants?_ ****  
** **

Still, not one to turn down figuring a problem out, Connor took a few careful steps closer, kneeling down within arm’s reach of the water. Their shoes were not suited to keep a grip on a wet, concrete ledge. Without looking away from the motionless animal’s inverted jaw, he tried one quick flick at the water. ****  
** **

Nothing. ****  
** **

He tried again, cupping a handful of liquid to toss against an upturned flipper. ****  
** **

The flat, oar-like limb flexed once, then went at ease. ****  
** **

“Tonic immobility. Sharks have a tendency to go comatose if turned upside down.” Theorizing out loud, he tried for another splash. “Perhaps… there was a mixup, this one was misprogrammed with said feature.” ****  
** **

“Is it okay?” Nick repeated, brows furrowing at the theory.  ****  
** **

“Why would it come when called, then flip itself over?” Dennis added. “That sounds like an everyday behavioral error, not deviancy.” ****  
** **

Deciding it was actually worth a full try, Connor flattened his hand and smacked the water’s surface. The sharp sound bounced off the tank walls like a ricocheting gunshot. ****  
** **

The reaction was immediate. Jerking its head sideways, the orca’s entire form sidewinded, mouth opened and deftly grabbing onto the cuff of his sleeve. ****  
** **

Eyes going round, Dennis dropped the tablet, just as the animal barrelrolled in place, yanking their startled primary forward, straight off his feet and into the tank. ****  
** **

Giving a start at the suddenness, Nick took a few quick steps forward to peer over the side of the tank, eyes round like Dennis's as well.

 _Connor!_ ****  
** **

For a moment, the churning water obscured everything. Venting a loud _pwoosh_ of air, the orca dove. It’s distorted, silver silhouette circled away beneath the rippling, foamy surface. ****  
** **

Seconds later, it surfaced some ten feet away. ****  
** **

Clinging to its rostrum, arms wrapped around for dear life, Connor coughed up a mouthful of saltwater, gasping and spluttering in a very-convincing imitation of an almost-drowned human. ****  
** **

Dennis cursed at the sight, but half in a laugh, not for the reasons any of them had considered. “The hell are you doing? It doesn’t need a hug!” ****  
** **

“Are you okay?” Nick asked, creeping along until he was on the closest edge of the platform, trying to hide his own smile at their waterlogged primary. “Can you get back here, Connor?”  ****  
** **

The orca’s LED wasn’t red. That much was an encouraging sign. ****  
** **

Glancing over his own outstretched arm, Connor grimaced and blinked away the salt in his eyes. Effectively soaked by the impromptu dunk, he didn’t seem inclined to let go just yet. ****  
** **

That followed. He couldn’t hope to outswim it fast enough. ****  
** **

“Much as I’d - umph, _like_ to,” he retorted, even as the orca squeaked and (gently) drove him backwards through the water. “I don’t think it’s done having - fun.” ****  
** **

“Aw, it's just being playful!” Nick exclaimed, smiling at it with more affection. “It must like you, then.”  ****  
** **

“What’s your system’s status?” Dennis asked, still in his shaky, tense tone. He only seemed angry because he was worried. Belatedly, he remembered to retrieve his dropped tablet. “No lacerations or - or perfusions?” ****  
** **

“Other than what it’s done to my jacket - _pfflt_ , please, stop that.” Momentarily submerged, half-dunked as if to see whether or not he floated, Connor glared at the eye nearest to him. The animal only squeaked, emitting a series of popping clicks. “This - game will be up whenever it decides.” ****  
** **

“Oh. Is there any - cue, to have it come back over here?” Nick suggested, shrugging as he did so. Dennis seemed apt to have this done and over with, soon as he could. No reason they couldn't try to speed up the process.  ****  
** **

Who knew if it would start as play, only to end in disaster? ****  
** **

“Slap the water again?” Shaking his head, Dennis tapped at the dripping device. The screen flickered before the text reappeared - a list of signals for various functions. “Or - try to whistle? Any pitch should get its attention.” ****  
** **

“I can try to see if it'll come back with a whistle.” Giving a grimace, Nick seemed to realize what had set this off in the first place, though. “But I hope that won't - cause something else to happen.”  ****  
** **

“That’s the idea, anything is worth a - try.” Dennis paused, watching as the orca made a turn, following the curve of the tank, still with its passenger holding on. ****  
** **

Glancing around, Connor made a chancy, passing grab for the tank’s edge, only to be sharply pushed under again. ****  
** **

Giving another glance around to Dennis, and the orca with Connor, Nick took a deep breath, put his fingers to his mouth, and let out a clear, high-pitched whistle, as if he were trying to emulate the same sounds the orca had made beforehand.  ****  
** **

Just as slapping the water had done, the animal responded instantly, surfacing with a loud _puff_ of air. ****  
** **

Barely keeping ahold, Connor took the distraction for what it was, letting go to slide off, free and clear as the orca beelined toward the platform. ****  
** **

It whistled back, breaking off into a round of trilling clicks before planting its chin on the platform’s edge. Bring itself to a sudden stop, displaced water sloshed forward, spilling over in a minor overflow. ****  
** **

“Fuck’s sake,” Dennis cursed, backpedaling. “That actually worked?” ****  
** **

“Good!” Nick said, going down on one knee, ignoring what had previously been said to not touch the android orca. One hand touched it's chin for a moment, before stroking up and down. “Good job, doing what we wanted. Good orca!”  ****  
** **

The zoo hadn’t deigned it necessary to name its robotic assets. But this one didn’t appear to mind. Clicking rapidly, it opened its mouth in an imitative grin, displaying its sharp, conical teeth in all their glory. ****  
** **

Keeping his distance, Dennis probably expected a repeat of the grab-and-pull move. “Nick, don’t. It’s clearly - faulty.” ****  
** **

“It's just being playful,” he looked back at Dennis, eyes pleading to be allowed to interact with the orca a bit longer. His hand continued to pet it, the other going up to rest on the underside of it's mouth. “Aren't you, huh? You just wanna play!”  ****  
** **

“And play - it did.” Stroking his way over, looking very much like a waterlogged cat, Connor pulled himself out of the water, now that the orca was effectively distracted. Sopping wet, his limp, sagging clothes looked uniformly black, except for their cyan accents. “At my expense.” ****  
** **

“It wasn't trying to hurt you, Connor,” Nick defended it, both hands beginning to pet it at the same time, curling over it as if he was trying to protect it - what little could actually be shielded. “It probably thought you wanted to play!”  ****  
** **

“The slap cue is meant to orient it, not prompt it to almost - drown somebody.” Seething, just a touch, the soaked android reached up to wring out a fistful of hair. His once-immaculate appearance was completely absent. “Now I see why the zoo thinks it’s gone deviant.” ****  
** **

“Ergo, shouldn’t we just advise them to not use slaps anymore?” Dennis offered. “Whistle tones only?” ****  
** **

With a noise best described as a prolonged _eeeee_ , the orca turned sideways against the hands on its face, lifting a flipper to slap against the water. ****  
** **

As if it were actively trying to beckon them back in. ****  
** **

“It hasn't done anything, though,” Nick argued, continuing to defend it, turning with the orca as it did so. His hands stopped petting it, but remained just simply pressed on its smooth face. The skin rippled and went black under his touch. “Not anything _really_ wrong. It didn't hurt you, Connor, please, don't advise that.”  ****  
** **

“If it ever did the same to a human, and managed to kill them, there would be outrage,” he replied, fruitlessly trying to fingercomb his damp hair back into some semblance of normal. “How can they make sure it won’t, besides omitting that signal from its repertoire?” ****  
** **

“I… dunno. Why can't they just do like that, then, not use it anymore?” Nick suggested, one hand going back to rubbing circles onto its skin. “Maybe it got mixed up in its head, like the tonic coding, it just doesn't understand. It didn't intentionally try to hurt you.”  ****  
** **

“And if it was going to, it heeded the whistle fast enough,” Dennis added, in as close a defense as he seemed to want to dare. “Amusing as it was to watch it try and teach you how to swim. You sure that torn cuff is all the damage it did?” ****  
** **

Frowning, Connor looked at said cuff - now sporting at least two circular holes where the teeth had punctured the fabric. ****  
** **

Shaking his head, their second leaned back against the wall. “CyberLife can bill the zoo for a replacement.” ****  
** **

_Eeee!_ ****  
** **

Slapping its flipper again, drawing their attention back, the once-rambunctious orca bunted it’s nose into the platform, arching up into the rubbing hands as a cat would. ****  
** **

“No,” Nick seemed on the verge of tears at the idea of the orca being replaced, one hand leaving momentarily to wrap half his arm around its head, continuing to protectively rub it afterwards. “You can't do that, please, it's not hurting anyone! Look, it just wants some attention.”  ****  
** **

“I think Dennis meant my jacket, Nicholas,” Connor deadpanned, arm still raised. “Not to trivialize your concern, but the probability they’ll do a full replacement of some twelve-million dollar asset is rather far fetched.” ****  
** **

“But then what?” he asked, leaning down around the orca close enough they were almost forehead to forehead. The animal seemed to purr with clicks. “It isn't doing anything wrong… can't we just say it's fine? Nothing bad happening?”  ****  
** **

“And if something worse did happen?” Dennis held the glitching tablet out by way of example. “What if these failsafes are effectively useless?” ****  
** **

“It’s a role better left to an android, versus a human handler,” Connor concluded, sitting back on his knees, still attempting to wring out his lapels and sleeves. “We can’t lie about the risk. But we can minimize it.” ****  
** **

“How?” At that, Nick seemed to decide to just go for it, pressing his forehead against the orcas’ with a sigh, one arm still wrapped around it, the other hand continuing to pet it. Whatever stirrings is a bond he felt with it, was obviously solidified now - which meant it would be more than difficult to drag him away.  ****  
** **

The koi in the zen garden pond seemed as nonexistent as they actually had been. ****  
** **

“We tell the board that’s their choice: they can either buy a multi-million dollar replacement, or they can phase out the human component of their trick exhibitions.” Standing up, knowing better than to try prying them apart just yet, Connor accepted the tablet as Dennis passed it over. “There’s no fixing what isn’t broken.” ****  
** **

“You _don’t_ think the fish has a glitch?” Dennis commented, with a wry half smile to match. “After the ride it just took you on?” ****  
** **

“It's just playful,” Nick repeated, eyes half lidded as he glanced up at them. “It didn't mean to hurt or scare anyone.”  ****  
** **

“Which is why…” Connor trailed off, with several deft types at the tablet screen. His tie still hung loose around his collar. “I’m sending the latter suggestion in now. If it’s nothing that can be fixed without a great monetary sum, the board will consider it.” ****  
** **

Dennis scoffed. “Hear that, Gilly? You just earned a pardon.” ****  
** **

At that the orca made on a flat, derisive sounding _fwoo_ . ****  
** **

Clearly it didn’t approve of the unofficial choice in name. ****  
** **

“It doesn't like that, Den, don't call it that.” Nick relayed, raising one eyebrow to give him a look. “Try again.”  ****  
** **

“Oh, for - really? Okay, how about… Dribbles? It started drooling the moment it saw you.” ****  
** **

“That makes - next to no sense.” Connor objected, without taking his eyes off the screen. ****  
** **

“Fine. Ashie? Silver? Click?” ****  
** **

Pausing for a moment as if he was listening for any noise of approval from the android orca, Nick shook his head after a second, leaning against it again so their foreheads were touching again. “No, it doesn't like any of those. It needs to be something special, something just for it.”  ****  
** **

“And none of those were? You’re still calling it an _it_ .” ****  
** **

Snapping its teeth together, a flat jet of compressed water spewed sideways out of the orca’s mouth. ****  
** **

“I don't know if they're a girl or a boy,” Nick shrugged, pulling back slightly to look the orca over again, as if he would be able to tell from that. “...So their name has to be gender neutral too, then. Just in case.”  ****  
** **

“It’s intended to resemble a female,” Connor explained, not tiresomely, but not with true enthusiasm, either. “The fins and the body size, they’re too small to be male.” ****  
** **

Biting at the water once more, the orca lifted its head, aimed, and spat. ****  
** **

“ _Hey!_ ” Doused from the collar down, Dennis scrambled sideways along the wall. “I didn’t say anything. _He_ did.” ****  
** **

Letting out some laughter, Nick brought a hand up to his mouth to try and stifle it. “Maybe she just saw you. Or they, maybe they don't like that. Who knows? We need a better name, anyways.”  ****  
** **

_Eee!_ ****  
** **

Dennis affected a disturbed shudder. “And I need to retune my audio components. That sound is not - endearing.” ****  
** **

“Yes, it is!” Giving him a glare, Nick turned back around to her, expression going softer instantly. “Don't listen to him. Everything you do is endearing. What name should we give you, huh? What do you like?”  ****  
** **

Back to asking her questions, as if she could answer him in any way that he would understand.  ****  
** **

Turning her head to the side, fixing one eye on all of them, she pressed her jaw against the wall, clicking rapidly, followed by a short whine. ****  
** **

“Pft. If it knew Morse code, it could spell it out,” Dennis huffed. “All the - ticking noises it makes.” ****  
** **

“We can put it together,” Nick murmured, brows furrowed in concentration. “She… makes a click sound. Maybe she does know Morse code?”  ****  
** **

Without waiting for anyone to tell him what a ridiculous idea that was, Nick put his hand in the water, setting it against the top of her head. Her skin darkened accordingly. “Can you try again, please?”  ****  
** **

_Eeee?_ The one visible eye shifted, looking up at the hand in question, before the connection seemed to solidify. Pupil dilating, it froze. ****  
** **

Turning around in a flash to stumble to his feet, Nick didn't bother to ask, taking the screen out of Connor's hands, before going back around to get in the same position - kneeling by the water, one hand on her back, the other ready with the tablet.  ****  
** **

Dennis blinked. “Nick… it was a joke. There’s no reason an android animal should know that alphabet.” ****  
** **

“No reason she should've had the tonic coding mistake, either,” Nick replied, before focusing his attention back on the orca. “How about… short click, that can be a dot, any longer than that is a dash. Can you tell me your name?”  ****  
** **

Two short clicks, interspersed with longer holds between, sounded out. ****  
** **

“C?” ****  
** **

Four sharp clicks. ****  
** **

“H.” ****  
** **

“This is - absurd.” Seeming to realize how his mouth was hanging open, Connor belatedly remembered to react. “Why would it know this?” ****  
** **

Click-click. ****  
** **

“I,” Nick grinned back at Dennis and Connor triumphantly, before turning his attention back to their almost-named orca friend.  ****  
** **

ClicK - click. ****  
** **

“M?” ****  
** **

ClicK - clicK - click. ****  
** **

“O. …Is that it? C-H-I-M-O. Chimo?” ****  
** **

Seeming to snap out of a trance, she affirmed this with one loud whistle, nodding vigorously three times over. ****  
** **

“Why would she know that?” Dennis parroted, sounding far more bemused than upset - finally. “No CyberLife animal has ever been programmed with the grasp of a human telecommunications language.” ****  
** **

“She's special, Dennis,” Nick replied, hand going back up to pet her head, tablet slid behind him after finding her name out. “ _Chimo_ is special.”  ****  
** **

Perhaps that was the reason for all the faulty commands? If the synthetic animal really was, or already had, gone deviant (by a barely-established standard), it was expressing frustration at an inability to communicate? It’s four black-and-white counterparts seemed perfectly compatible with one another. ****  
** **

‘Special’ was the right word for it, as much as it was wrong. ****  
** **

Newly designated, Chimo flinched away from being petted. ****  
** **

Only to lunge and grab the same hand by the cuff of the sleeve. ****  
** **

“Chimo, no!” Dennis reacted instantly, racing over to that platform’s edge to intervene. “ _No_ pulling.” ****  
** **

Tugging his cuff back gently, but not immediately panicking or trying to force his way away from her, Nick frowned down at Chimo. “Not now, please, let go, Chimo.”  ****  
** **

The miscolored orca gave a plaintive whine, holding on with resolute stubbornness. Without letting go, she rested her chin on the platform. ****  
** **

_Looks like she doesn’t want you to leave._ Connor speculated, but it wasn’t so much speculation as simple fact. _And I can already see you don’t want to, either._ ****  
** **

Nick wrapped his other arm around Chimo again, face going down to rest against her forehead again. When he spoke through the commlink, it was obvious, yet again, that he was on the verge of tears. _I - I don't wanna leave her, yet. I can't, not now._ ****  
** **

Dennis’ voice gentled at the sight. _She’ll be okay without us. This is her home, right? Not like we can stick her in the 7th’s restroom sink._ ****  
** **

_She doesn't want me to leave, though,_ Apparently glancing down at his cuff, still gripped by her teeth, Nick let out a quiet sob, arm wrapping around Chimo even more. _She'll be lonely, she needs - someone, I can't leave her alone._ ****  
** **

_She won’t be alone. There are the other four cybercetas in the exhibit. If she’s so - unique, they have to be, too? On some level? She could be talking to them just the same as she - talked to us._ ****  
** **

_She… could,_ Nick admitted, but didn't make any move to get away from Chimo, just continued to sit there, arm around her and face buried in her own, one arm still gently pinned. _I just want her to be happy, what if she's not happy? We can't leave her right now, please. We just barely got to know her name!_ ****  
** **

_…Connor? Any ideas?_ ****  
** **

_We can’t stay indefinitely. The board will want this exhibit reopened as soon as possible. And there are other cases in need of our attention._ ****  
** **

_Positive,_ constructive _ideas, Connor._ ****  
** **

Picking up the discarded tablet, he cast the scene an unreadable look. Someone would have to give ground first. And to find a solution to a difficult situation was one of the RK’s features. ****  
** **

_What if… you just promise her you’ll be back?_ ****  
** **

Glancing back at him, Nick seemed to consider the idea before turning back against Chimo. _Will we be back, really? You promise, Connor?_ ****  
** **

_…If she wants. Why not ask her?_ ****  
** **

Maybe that came off as evasive. But it did the trick in avoiding an unrealistic commitment. Who knew if their near future would include any encore visits to the Detroit Zoo? ****  
** **

Part of the reason they were here was to ensure things were running smoothly. ****  
** **

Chimo, left out of the discussion until that point, shifted, but did not let go of the cuff. Drawing a small breath, she vented a mist of water droplets into the air. ****  
** **

_Better answer. She’s looking impatient._ ****  
** **

Reluctantly pulling away from her, tears in his eyes, Nick used the hand that was wrapped around her to stroke as he asked the question. “Chimo, do you want us to come back? Would you like that?”  ****  
** **

_Eee._ ****  
** **

It was a very soft, timid response. But it was detectable. Her eyes shifted one way, then the other. ****  
** **

She mimed another terse, anxious breath. ****  
** **

“If you want us to, we'll… we'll try,” Nick managed, before his face crumpled at knowing they would have to leave shortly. “I d-don't want to go, I'm sorry. But we'll try, for you.”  ****  
** **

The next response was decidedly nonverbal. Starting with the black blotch beneath his hand, the color spread steadily outward, like an ink spill. Coating the animal from head to tail, white ovals appeared behind her eyes, a gray patch behind her dorsal fin, and her jaw went ivory white. ****  
** **

Motionless, eyes averted, she repeated a soft _eee_ note and let go. ****  
** **

Still crouched beside him, Dennis gaped. “Well. That’s - something.” ****  
** **

Nick sniffled at the sight but smiled, giving Chimo one last stroke before shuffling backwards, eyes still on her. “I think she'll be okay now. …Bye, Chimo, we'll see you when we can.”  ****  
** **

Matter settled, if not emotions, they made to leave. They had almost reached the door by the time she surprised them again. ****  
** **

Sucking in a breath, there was a brief splash as the orca submerged. A second later, she resurfaced at speed, making the short hop out of the water and onto the vacated ledge, mouth hanging open, tail flukes presented high in the air. ****  
** **

_Eeee!_ ****  
** **

Hand on the doorknob, Dennis couldn’t help a disbelieving laugh. “What, you gonna come with us?” ****  
** **

_Eee-up. ClicK - click-click - clicK - click._ ****  
** **

“Letter Y, for yes?” ****  
** **

Giving Dennis and Connor both a barely-contained look of glee, Nick ran back, sliding to his knees in front of her and throwing his arms around her neck, face pressed up against the side of her own.  ****  
** **

“Bye, Chimo, I love you.” ****  
** **

Pressed against, her skin went gray. ****  
** **

But it was their little secret.


End file.
